August gleitz



(Ne Medel.)

A. GLEITZ. 'PIANO CASE.

Peteeted geb. 11

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N. PUERS, Mumoguplw. washington. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST GLEI'lZ, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PIANO- CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,265, dated February11, 1890. Application led October 12, 1889. Serial 110.326,774. (Nomodel.)

To allwlwm, t may concer/t:

Be it known that I, AUGUST GLEITZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of upright pianoswhich are provided with side openings controlled by hinged swell-panelsoperated by suitable lever-connections with a pedal.

vThe novel construction of the above-mentioned parts, together withother features of this invention, are Inore fully pointed out in thefollowing specification and claim, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure I represents an interior view of the frame ofan upright piano embodying my invention, which figure shows theswell-panels open. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section in the planey y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizoir tal section in the plane at Fig. 2, ofpart of the frame, showing the swell-panels closed.

Similar letters indica-te corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the case of an upright pianoconstructed in -the usual manner with a vertical soundingboard and ahorizontal key-board and a lid or cover O, which may behin ged to theframe or rigidly secured thereto.

In the sides of ,the piano are formed discharge-openings D D', whichafford communication between the outer air and the interior of thepiano, and through which the sound-waves emanating from the strings canpass freely. In the example shown in the drawings one such dischargeopening is formed ou each side of the piano, andthe said openings extendthrough the entire height of the piano; but the length and number of theopenings can be varied as desired. These openings are normally closed byswell-panels E E', hinged at b b', Fig. 3, tol the frame of the piano,and which are swung outward by a system of levers connected and operatedby a pedal F, which is adapted be depressed by the performer to swingopen the said hinged panels E E'.

The connections of the hinged panels with the pedal F consist, in theexample shown in the drawings, of a pair of bellcrank levers G G',pivoted at gg' to a stringcr in a casing, and the horizontally-extendingarms of' these levers G G' are in a position to engage with each other,while to the vertical arms of the same are attached rods I-I H', whichare att-ached to the doors. lever G is acted upon by a lever I, which ispivoted at i to a socket on the casing, and is connected to the pedal Fby a rod J, so that when the pedal is depressed, as shown in thedrawings, Figs. l and 2, the lever I will depress the arm g of the leverG', and both swell-panels E E will be swung outf ward, so as to allowthe sound-waves to leave the instrument through the discharge-open-vings D D. The area of theseV dischargeopenings varies with the extent ofdepression ofthe pedal F, so thatthe performer can increase or reducethe swell of the sound at pleasure.

In order that the swell-panels E E' may be held stationary when wideopen, I construct the pedal F of two parts ff', which The arm g of theare pivoted together at f2, so that the part f or pedal proper can beturned about the pivot f2 when depressed and brought under a suitablestop f3, formed in the frame, whereby the pedal is held depressed andthe swell-panels are wide open. To close the said swell-panels when thepedal F is rcleased, I provide the bell-crank lever G with anextensiong2, which is subjected to the force of a spring G2, acting in the properdirection. However, other means may be employed to effect this samepurpose.

The swell-panels E E' when closed have the appearance of ordinary panelsand do not in the least affect or mar the general appearance of thepiano.-

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the case of an upright piano, of thedischarge-openings D D', the hinged panels E E' bell-crank levers G G',one arm of each of which is connected with one of the panels, the leverH, the rod J, and pedal F,for operating the bell-crank levers,substantially as shown and described. In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

AUGUST GLEITZ. [L. s] lVitncsses:

E. F. KASTENHUBER, WILLIAM MILLER.

IOO

